Sardine-turning apparatus



F. HEATH.

SARDINE TURNING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 14, 1919.

1,373,231 2. Patented Apr. 5, 1921. v

' 2 JNVENTZ? fiA/v/r HEATH A TTORNEYS.

-zen of the United States, tional City, in the county of San Diegoandareer snares stares same name, or NATIONAL our, cmmonma.

SABDINE-TURNING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I FRANK HEATH, a c1t1-residing at Naforemost and turn on to their backs and the.

objects of my invention are: first, to provide a device of this classwhich gives frictional contact with the sardines above and below forturning them so that they move head foremost; second, to provide such anapparatus in combination with a means for turning said sardines on theirbacks; third, to provide such an apparatus which prevents the sardinesfrom rolling over and over when on an inclined plane and startedsidewise; fourth, to provide an apparatus of this class which tends tohold the sardines in their course head foremost and fifth, to prorvidean apparatus of this class which is very simple and economical ofconstruction, durable, easy to install, which is auto-' matic in itsaction and which will not readily deteriorateor get out of order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, myinvention 0011- sists of certain novel features of construction,combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafterde-' scribed-in detail and particularly set forth in the appendedclaims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to thecharacters of reference thereon which form a art of this application, inwhich:

igure 1 is a plan view of a unit of my device showing some sardines inposition thereon; Fig. 2 1s a sectional view through 2-2 of Fig. 1 andFig. 3 is a sectional view through 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portionsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

The inclined surface member 1, supporting frame 2, support 3, sup orts4, chains 5, grooves 6, and spray pipe constitute the principal partsand portions of my sardine turning apparatus.

The inclined surface member 1 is preferably an inclined metallic memberof suflicient inclination so that the sardines will move along saidinclined surface by gravity Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

Application filed August 14, 1919. Serial No. 317,405.

of suflicientspeed that will not be easily retarded. This inclinedsurface. is supported by the framework 2 which may be' any particularconstruction desired (it beingnopart of my present invention). The lowerend of this surface member 1 is provided with a plurality of inclined,downwardly, differently and gradually curved bottomed chutes 6 withtheir walls converging toward the lower end. At the sides of saidapparatus are provided side members 1 uponwhich is supported a cross bar3 at the upper end and this cross bar 3 is provided with a plurality ofposts 3 to which one end -of the chains 5 are secured and mounted in thesurface member 1 in certain spaced relation conforming with the space onthe posts 3 which is slightly shorter than the length of the sardines tobe turned are a series of posts 4 to which the other end of the chains,

5 are secured. It will be here noted that these chains 5 are sosupported and with sufficient slack in the chains. so that they.

rest on the inclined member 1 and move sidewise slightly. The uppersurface of the inclined member 1 is preferably provided with a smallquantity of water b means of the pipe 7 which is provided wit aplurality of sprays for spraying the upper surface of said inclinedmember.

Though I- have shown and described a particular construction,combination and arrangement of parts and portions I do not wish to belimited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement butdesire to include in the purview of my invention the construction,combination and arrangement substantially asset forth in the appendedclaims.

Theoperation of my apparatus is as follows: The sardines are released inbulk form turned in miscellaneous directions on to the upper surface ofthe inclined member 1 and gravitate over the upper surface contactingwith the upper surface of the memher 1, and the chains 5 contactwiththeupper portion of the sardines and with their sides causing them-tobe'turned head foremost by reason of the frictional engagement of thesardines with the surface and chains. The frictional engagement of thechains being equal and the gravity of heads and tails being unequalcause them to gravitate to a position head foremost and said chains tendto hold them in a given course. When they have reached the lower side ofthe. surface member 2 they are then moving head foremost and enter thegrooves 6, the lower grooved surface of which changes gradually and thewalls of the sides gradually converging cause the sardines to turngradually on their backs while moving in the groove, the back and headbeing the heavy portion of the sardine, so that after they have movedsuflicient distance in the chutes 6 they are positioned on their backsand ready for other action such as beheading, scaling, sizing and thelike.

Having thus described my invention what I claim' as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a sardine turning apparatus, an inclined imperforate member and aplurality of flexible sardine engaging and retarding members extendingin the directiomof inclination over the top surface of said in- I clinedimperforate member.

2. In a sardine turning apparatus, an inaeaaem clined imperforatemember, a plurality of flexible sardine engaging and retarding membersextending in the direction of incliof inclination over the top surfaceof said inclined member and a plurality of downwardly extendinggradually deepening curved bottomed chutes with their walls convergingdownwardly connected therewith.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at San Diego,California this 8th day of August, 1919.

FRANK HEATH.

